Stanford statement on Feb. 29, 2024, House of Representatives roundtable on antisemitism

Stanford is committed to an educational environment in which Jewish students and all students can thrive and fully participate in the offerings of the university in an atmosphere free of harassment and discrimination. We stand against antisemitism and all forms of hatred.

The experiences of individual community members are important to informing our path forward. The university’s Subcommittee on Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias is actively working to hear perspectives from across our community and to develop recommendations to address these issues, and it continues to welcome input.

Providing for the physical safety of our community has been a top priority since the events of Oct. 7. Stanford has added dedicated security at Hillel; at White Plaza, including both security staff and security cameras; and at numerous campus events in an effort to support the peaceful expression of free speech in an atmosphere of safety. As occurred at Stanford’s Family Weekend recently, disruptions of university events have led to citations by law enforcement and referral to university disciplinary processes. The university also worked to bring about an orderly end to overnight camping on White Plaza while preserving the free speech and advocacy rights of all groups.

We remain committed to providing for the physical safety of all students; to providing reporting mechanisms, appropriate enforcement, and student support resources in cases of unlawful conduct; and to encouraging a campus culture in which the constitutionally protected expression of divergent viewpoints is welcomed yet our discourse is reasoned and evidence-based. This work is and must be ongoing.